The Cursed and The Lost Cause
by breakinqfab
Summary: Dean's car breaks down on a deserted highway. He walks miles and finds himself at the border of a small town called 'Mystic Falls'. He meets Katherine Pierce, and her younger half-brother Jeremy. He asks Katherine to let him invite Dean into their home, considering the fact he has nowhere to go, and the only Motel in town is bad, she agrees. But the drama was just about to start.
1. Prologue

**Writers note: Elena doesn't exist in this story. Katherine has the life of her (she did not steal it), Jeremy is her younger brother. Bonnie, Caroline and April are her friends. Katherine is human, Bonnie is dead. Katherine is in a relationship with Damon. (For now. ;D) She meets Dean Winchester and they become acquaintances. Jeremy also meets Dean after Katherine and invites him to their home, after taking it up with Katherine. Katherine and Jeremy's parents died in the car accident on Wickery Bridge. Stefan did **_**not**_** save her. She escaped on her own, and she pulled out both of her parents, but it was too late. Her aunt Jenna died the same way in the show, and Katherine blames herself everyday. Basically Katherine is not a bitch in this fanfiction. Although, she does still have an amazing attitude. I hope you like it.**

**I do not own SPN (Supernatural.) nor TVD (The Vampire Diaries.) even though I love them both so dearly. **

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**Prologue:**

"Come on, Sammy, pick up!"

Stranded on the side of the road was not the ideal place Dean Winchester wanted to be at the moment. With his car, '67 Chevy Impala, smoking from the hood on a deserted highway in the middle of a non-existent town on the map, he wasn't very happy. Growling, he ended the hundredth call to his younger brother, Sam. Placing the phone in his coat pocket.

After leaving Sam at the motel they were staying at to go look up some information on a case they were doing, Dean was in such a hurry that he never realized that the Check Engine Light was on his dash and now he wished he'd been more observant . Of course, at the most opportune time, Sam decided that he wasn't going to pick up his phone. He didn't have anyone else to call. Bobby was in Vermont, states away and there was no way he was going to get his wheel inhabited ass out of it to come save his.

"Well... I guess I have to leave you here, baby." He said quietly speaking to his car. With a sigh, he got out of the car, grabbing his duffel bag, getting into his trunk and taking two knives and two small guns, along with extra bullets just in case of emergency. After locking the car, he looked at his surroundings, trying to see where he should go find somewhere to sleep and a place to get some good, warm, apple pie. Deciding to go right, he followed the paved road that seemed to go forever. After what felt like a good hour, with no call from Sam, he reached a small bridge with a sign reading "Welcome to Mystic Falls."

'_Why did that sound so familiar?_' Dean thought to himself as he crossed the bridge, seeing house developments. Small little cookie cutter houses you'd see straight from one of those Martha Stewart magazines that were given in motels. The large porch with a bench swing and the perfect mowed lawn. It was almost sickening. It had to be around eleven, so most of the people in this town were probably asleep, so, Dean kept quiet as he passed the homes. Eventually, after the long walk through the neighborhood, he came across the town square, where it looked like all the teens were at. They were scattered across the grass in the park, chatting and looking up at the sky, mumbling incoherent things probably caused by the alcohol in their hands.

Dean spotted a small grill up ahead, with the lights still on and people coming in and out meaning they were open. He practically jogged across the park, catching a few stares from the drunk teens laying in the grass. That didn't matter to him at the moment. He needed food and some good beer. The first thing he realized is that the place was crowded, meaning this was one of the only restaurants in town, which hopefully meant the food was good. He walked up to the bar, setting his bag on the floor next to the chair and sat, looking at the back wall of alcohol.

Chattering and laughs were all Dean could hear, other that the sharp clicking sounds as the pool sticks hit the ball and the glasses clinking in the back room. A young teen approaching him caught his attention away from the old alcohol collection wall.

'Matt' was what his name tag read.

"Can I get you anything?" He asked, wiping his hands on a dish towel before tossing it over his shoulder.

Dean pursed his lips, looking at the back wall again before nodding. "Yeah, can I just get a beer? Make that two, and do you guys have any pie, or a Hardy Burger?" He asked, looking over at the kid.

Matt reached under the counter and materialized two beers and sat them in front of Dean. "We have both. Though, I wouldn't recommend the cherry pie. It's not exactly good. Apparently, it's the chef's grandma's special recipe." He rolled his eyes. "It tastes like stale feet."

Dean chuckled at the kids ending comment. "Alright. Well, how about a good burger and a slice of apple pie?" He said, taking a drink from the beer.

Matt nodded as he wrote it down on a note from his pocket. "Alright... I'll get that for you as soon as I can." He said before walking away to the other side of the bar. Dean sighed, grateful for the ice cold beer, sliding down his throat. He needed to work out more. You'd think that with his job, he'd be in better shape to walk a few miles. Nope. He felt as if he just ran a marathon. His legs were burning and his muscles were sore. That reminded him. He'd have to ask Matt if there were any motels in the tiny town. Swiveling around in his chair he looked around the small grill. Tacky tables and chairs were set around the lower half of the room, people inhabiting most of them. On the upper half were pool tables, with some air hockey and what looked like arcade games. He nodded in approval. Pretty impressive compared to most of the little towns him and Sam had seen. He pulled out his phone to see there were no calls or texts from his brother.

"Damn him..." Dean growled under his breath, shoving the phone back in his pocket.

Suddenly a large plate was placed in front of him, a monstrous burger with a small slice of steaming, crisp, brown apple pie on the side. Just looking at it made his mouth water.

"There you go, man. Eat up. You look exhausted. Long night?" Matt asked, a smirk on his lips.

Dean laughed, shaking his head. "No, I wish. Hey, so, are there any places I can stay tonight? Like a motel or something?" He asked as he stuffed his mouth with a chunk of the apple pie.

"Yeah, if you go to the side of City Hall, there's a little hotel. Kinda sketchy if you ask me. No one usually visits here. Where you from?" Matt asked curiously.

Dean quickly thought of a lie. "Colorado. Just passing through." He said, giving Matt a smirk.

Matt nodded. "That's awesome. Be happy that you've been places. I've never stepped foot out of this town." He mumbled, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"You'll get out of here eventually. Don't even worry about it." He laughed. This Matt guy reminded him of Sam. The innocent kid face, the sad look in his eyes. Quite pathetic, but it reminded him non the less.

"Hey, Matt, can I get some refills?" A feminine voice asked right next to him.

Turning to her, he barely caught himself from spitting his food out.

She was gorgeous. She has to be at least seventeen or eighteen. About 5'7", she had long brown curly hair that pushed over her shoulders, exposing her long neck and dark tan skin. He couldn't really see her eyes, but he could see she had eyelashes galore, the perfect amount of makeup to make them pop. She had a pair of black jeans on with a white frilly tank top.

'_Oh God, boots. This girl wore boots._' He thought to himself.

He fixed his composure just as she looked at him, a polite smile on her lips. "Hi there. You're not from around her, are you?" She asked, her soft voice music to his ears, and his body got warm just as she sat down next to him.

He quickly swallowed before answering. "That obvious, huh?" He asked, trying too keep his facade on.

'_Brown eyes. Dark brown eyes with little gold specks in them._' Dean thought to himself when his eyes met hers.

Brown eyes laughed. "Well, we don't get a lot of tourists to our town.. So, you're either lost or confused." She said, studying him.

Dean chuckled. "Well... Frankly, I'm lost. My car broke down about three miles off the border line. I just so happened to find this place." He informed her.

She was slightly surprised at his words. "You walked all the way here? That's crazy. You must be exhausted..." She said, concern written slightly on her face.

Dean shrugged, taking a swig of his beer. "A little. But I'll manage." He said, lifting his glass to salute to that.

Brown eyes seemed to be thinking for a moment, her mind elsewhere before she was distracted by Matt bringing back full drinks. "Thanks Matty." She said, giving him a friendly smile. That told Dean that they obviously knew each other more than just acquaintances.

She turned to him. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Stranger." She said jokingly, she had no idea what his name was. He laughed, "My name's Dean Winchester." He said, taking her hand and kissing the top of it, not losing eye contact with her. He knew hot to woo the ladies. It came naturally to him and by the sight of color rushing into Katherine's cheeks, he knew he had her. She smiled and blushed, biting her lip before her reply. "My name is Katherine Pierce." Dean smiled. "Alright, well, I guess I'll be seeing you around, Katherine." He chuckled. "I guess so." Katherine replied, smiling gently at him. His body grew warmer. Dean wondered how she could be so welcoming to a stranger, let alone someone that no one in this town knew.


	2. The Day They Met

**Two Hours Earlier.**

"So, what do you say? Grill tonight?" Caroline asked as she sat on Katherine's couch, painting her nails, careful not to get it on anything. Katherine sat on a chair across from her, her legs pulled up to her chest as she sipped her steaming coffee Caroline brought her when she decided to barge in and kick Damon out. It was probably a peace offering to immediately apologize for making him leave. Well, it was working. The hot liquid slid down her throat, awakening her body and helping her become more alert.

"Yeah, I guess that will be okay. Damon will probably be coming, Stefan too." She mumbled, watching her finish applying the red nail polish on her final toenail.

Caroline looked up at Katherine, gaping. "So, now you probably have to have a body guard? Seriously Kat, you can take care of yourself. Just because you're not a Hunter, werewolf or vampire doesn't mean you're weak. Even Stefan said you're stronger than you used to be. If anything, I can take care of you." She elongated her fangs, black veins crawling under her eyes, proving her point. Katherine smiled at her, amused.

"He's just being protective. With Silas on the loose, he doesn't want to risk my safety. Better to be safe than to be dead." Katherine replied to Caroline, playfully shrugging her shoulders. A sudden gasp came out of her mouth as a pillow flew at her head.

"Oh shut up! Honestly, with Stefan, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy and I, you're probably the safest person in this town. It's not like that Silas can get to you if all of us are there." She said matter of factly. "I could probably do a better job than Damon any day. Don't mess with an angry protective vampire."

Katherine smiled over at her, tossing the pillow back at her. "Well, then you can bring that up to him. I highly doubt he'll let you be on your own with me. I've been just letting him do what he wants. It shuts him up." She rolled her eyes.

Caroline smirked. "He shuts up? Oh, I never noticed. He always seems to be running his mouth." She said sarcastically, bitterness in her voice. Katherine knew somewhere deep inside, she liked Damon, but that part was always interrupted by the memory of what he did to her before she became a vampire. Katherine supposes what she needed was to just understand that he'd changed and he wasn't that same person anymore. It's not easy though, when it comes to Caroline. Katherine has known her since kindergarten and throughout all the years, she has noticed that she can hold a grudge. For a long time.

"Well, think of it this way. If he comes, you can beat him at pool again." Katherine offered, smiling as she remembered her beating him the last time, the look of angry shock on his face as Caroline caused the black eight ball to fall into the hole.

Caroline sighed, smiling triumphantly. "Yes, and he was around when it was invented. And I still kicked his ass." She shrugged, blowing on her toes. "I'm just that good."

Katherine shook her head, smiling as she turned to the TV. One of the news reporters were speaking, the headline "Hikers found on trail mauled." They showed the pictures of two women, maybe early twenties and a man, about the same age, smiling together in a group photo. To think now, they were all dead.

"Do you think it's Silas?" Katherine asked Caroline quietly, staring at the screen.

Caroline glanced up at the TV and sighed, shrugging. "Who knows. It could be rouge vampire. It could be a werewolf. Though, Silas is a possibility." She said quietly, watching as an interviewer began talking to an older lady heard what happened from a nearby trail.

"It just sounds like something he would do... Maul the bodies, leave them on a deserted hiking trail. Just to smother it in our faces." Katherine responded, her voice thin and bitter.

Over the last three years, she experienced too much death. More than a normal person should handle. First her parents, which wasn't caused by the supernatural. Her Aunt Jenna, Alaric, Jeremy, and Bonnie. Though Jeremy was brought back to life because Bonnie sacrificed herself to bring him back. It was something none of us agreed on, but she decided that Katherine needed Jeremy more than anything. He was the only family she had left. Now, Bonnie communicates from the other side through Jeremy, who after a life and death experience years ago, was now able to see ghosts. And he claims that she's been sticking around for a while. That was nice because it was hard losing her to Katherine and Caroline and Jeremy. Finding out that she was dead was like losing a piece of Katherine. So, to know that she's been around, watching out for them was a calming feeling.

"Exactly why we need to go to he grill. We need to get our minds off things." Caroline said, pulling Katherine out of her daydream of thinking of Bonnie.

Katherine nodded. "Okay, Caroline. Whatever you say. You'll just have to figure out an agreement with Damon, so he's not following me everywhere I go. I'm surprised he even let you babysit me for this thirty minutes that you've been here."

Caroline scoffed. "Because I have amazing babysitting skills?" She asked incredulously, almost not believing that Katherine doubted her. "No, but really, I think he understands that I don't want to be messed with and I can take care of you."

Katherine smirked. "Yeah, because he actually listens." Rolling her eyes, Katherine laughed.

Damon had always been that protective since all the trouble in town started happening. He always had to be aware of where Katherine was, and even though she understood why, it annoyed her that she had absolutely no privacy lately. This girl time with Caroline was extremely rare, and she was shocked that he left without a second comment. Though, his protectiveness was something she loved about him. He made her feel like a prized possession that could not be touched or else it would break. Then he also knew when to give her space...

"I really wish Damon wasn't coming. I miss our girl nights." Caroline mumbled, clearly thinking about Bonnie, because the dark look crossed her face. She always got that look when she thought about either Bonnie or her dad. Both meant so much to her and she lost them both. It was hard for her and it was nice to have someone to lean on and talk to who was going through the same things Katherine was at the time. It got better though. It had been a few months since Bonnie had died and the supernatural stuff had died down except for an occasional Silas spotting and evidence, like the dead hikers. The Originals had moved to New Orleans, deciding that the tiny town of Mystic Falls didn't fit their needs and were tired of watching their backs every other turn. So, since then, it was fairly quiet. Caroline and Katherine start college in a few weeks and were more than prepared. She knew she wanted to just get out. Hoping to be able to surround herself with normal human things to make herself feel more... Normal. If that was even possible for her. Since Stefan came into her life, nothing had really been normal. It probably wouldn't ever be again.

"Do you want anything from the kitchen?" Katherine asked as she got up, sighing as she entered the kitchen, looking outside at the darkening sky.

"Well, I'm sure you don't have some B Positive, so I'll stick with some soda, please." She said, smirking over at Katherine.

Katherine grabbed a soda out of the fridge and tossed it to her. "What time are you wanting to head to the grill?" Katherine asked, deciding to wash up before leaving.

"Well, I was thinking seven. Matt said there's a game tonight so a lot of people will be there. A bit rowdy so I want to get there and enjoy the party." She laughed, wiggling her toes as she surveyed her work.

"Well, it's almost six thirty, so I'm going to go take a shower and get ready. I'll be down in a few. Call Damon and tell him what's going on." Katherine said, heading upstairs to enjoy a nice warm shower.

Pulling out her phone, Caroline dialed Damon's number as Katherine had advised. On the second ring, he picked up, his voice laced with worry.

"Is she okay?" He asked.

Rolling her eyes, Caroline responded. "No, she ran off and got eaten by some wolves. Yes, she's fine. She's taking a shower right now."

She could tell by the sound of his voice that he was smirking. "And you're calling me to let me know, so I can join her?" He asked, a mischievous tone coming out of his mouth.

"No, I'm calling you to tell you that I'm joining her. God, Damon, you can be so annoying. I'm calling to let you know that Katherine and I are going to the grill tonight." She said, taking a drink of her soda, awaiting his quick response that would lead to an argument.

"As long as I'm there, Barbie. Then she can go." He said, his voice suddenly serious again.

Sighing, Caroline closed her eyes to keep cool. "She can take care of herself, Damon. Last time I checked, she's smarter than you. I can protect her if some random dude tries to hit on her. I'll tell him you'll snap his neck like a twig if he tries anything." Caroline smiled at her little comment at the end.

"I want to be there Blondie. I don't trust her being alone with just you. Believe me, it's not you, it's me." He mumbled, a deep low chuckle sounding from the speaker.

"Whatever, Damon. Just prepare for another win from me at pool." She said, knowing that would grind his gears.

"Shut up, Barbie. And keep watch. I'll be there soon."

Caroline was right. Though, when is she not? The grill was packed, with more people that there usually was. Matt at the bar looked like he was wanting to crawl into a corner and cry. His face looked exhausted, lines creasing his forehead and mouth that she'd never noticed before. What he needed was a good nights rest and some caffeine.

Taking a seat in the corner, I waited for Damon to bring the drinks over. Caroline was chatting with Tyler at the pool tables, an annoyed look on her face. They had been having issues lately, mostly revolving around Niklaus that she would brush off every time Katherine asked about it. Glasses being set on the table pulled her back to what was in front of her. Damon slid into the seat next to her after setting the drinks down and turned to her. "How are you feeling?" He asked.

Katherine shrugged. "Same old, same old. Tired. How are you? Have you talked to Stefan lately?" Katherine asked, knowing that the two of them were having disagreements often about who should be 'watching' her. Like she needed a babysitter.

Damon shrugged, taking a sip from his bourbon. "He's the same brooding Stefan. Of course I've talked to him. Not that I want to." He mumbled the last part. Katherine reached over and ran her fingers through his hair. She hated that she was one of the reasons that a wedge was drawn between the two of them and what made it worse was that she couldn't fix it.

He leaned into her touch with a sigh. "He wasn't sure that he wanted to come tonight. But, I was somehow able to convince him." He chuckled.

Katherine smiled. "It's because he loves you, Damon. As much as he hates to admit it, and as much as you hate to admit it, he is your brother and you can't change that."

As Damon was about to respond, Caroline plopped down in the seat across from them. "God, I swear, Tyler is going to be the death of me." She mumbled, quickly taking one of the shots that Damon ordered.

"What did he do now, Blondie?" Damon asked, kissing Katherine's head before grabbing a fry off the plate and shoving it in his mouth.

Caroline shook her head. "He thinks that I'm still talking to Klaus, which I'm not. It's him who has been calling me. And Tyler thinks that I want to be with Klaus more than him and it's irritating me." She said, glaring at him from across the room. "And there he is, flirting with Taylor Caston and Melanie from cheer squad. I should get them kicked off the team." she mused to herself. "I'd like to see how much he'd still like them if they weren't cheerleaders."

Damon rolled his eyes. "You might as well bite them." He said before someone else joined their little group.

"Bite who?" Stefan asked as he sat down next to Caroline, looking up at Katherine with a nod. She offered him a small smile, grateful that he did come. Even though she was with Damon, there would always be something there for Stefan. Not as strong, but noticeable.

Caroline sighed, exasperated. "These two girls that Tyler is flirting with. I their hair to get all messed up. That would be nice." She mumbled, glaring at the two girls who seemed to have their hands all over Tyler's body.

Stefan looked over at the girls and shook his head. "He's just trying to make you jealous, Care. Don't even worry about it." He laughed, patting her leg.

Katherine smiled as she listened and joined a few conversations with her friends, and she realized they were all out of drinks. "I'm going to get some refills." She smiled and got up, only to be interrupted by Damon.

"You don't have to do that, Katherine. I will get the refi-" He was cut off.

"Damon, I am completely capable of getting refills on my own. I will get them." Katherine said, kissing him softly on the lips to calm him. She broke off the kiss when she heard a throat clear, already knowing it was Caroline. She rolled her eyes and walked over to the bar.

Damon sat down as Katherine walked off to get the refills.

Matt stood talking to a burly guy who was stuffing his face with what looked like pie, but she couldn't be sure.

"Hey, Matt, can I get some refills?" She asked kindly, taking a seat next to the stranger. she noticed next to her on her right, having trouble chewing his food, or at least that's what it looked like.

"Hi there. You're not from around here, are you?" She asked, deciding to make conversation, her soft voice music to his ears.

'_This guy was pretty attractive for being a stranger in town. He was tall, probably taller than Stefan with dark brown hair, but I could see small blondish highlights towards the crown of his head, showing that he was in the sun a lot. Tan skin and muscles that you just want to lay your hand on and squeeze. He was attractive._' Katherine thought to herself, not realizing what she was thinking.

He quickly swallowed before answering. "That obvious, huh?" He asked, trying to keep his facade on. His voice was so deep. A gravely sound that came out of his mouth impressed Katherine, but she kept a smile on her mouth.

"Well, we don't get tourists in out tiny town.. So, you're either lost or confused." She said, studying him.

The man chuckled. "Well... Frankly, I'm lost. My car broke down about three miles off the border line. I just so happened to find this place." He informed her.

Katherine was slightly surprised at his words. "You walked all the way here? That's crazy. You must be exhausted..." She said, concern written slightly on her face. She felt bad for the guy. He seemed to be lost beyond belief. He wasn't from around here at all. Not even close. He looked like he could use a fresh pair of clothes, for the ones he was wearing were wrinkled and worn out. He had a duffel bag on the floor next to him, so she suspected that he had a few changes.

The man shrugged, taking a swig of his beer. "A little. But I'll manage." He replied, lifting his glass to salute to that.

After a few more moments of a chat, Matt brought Katherine some full drinks "Thanks Matty." She said softly, smiling at him. He did look tired. Up close you could see the dark heavy bags under his eyes and the look of utter exhaustion in his eyes. He smiled and walked to the other side of the bar to take an order, as for Katherine, she turned back to the stranger.. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Stranger." She said jokingly, she had no idea what his name was, and she really wanted to know his name badly. He laughed, "My name's Dean Winchester." He said, taking her hand and kissing the top of it gently, not losing eye contact with her. Katherine smiled and blushed, biting her lip before her reply. "My name is Katherine Pierce." Dean smiled, "Alright, well, I guess I'll be seeing you around, Katherine." He chuckled. "I guess so." Katherine replied, smiling gently at him. Her body grew warm.

Katherine walked off, with the drinks happily. Dean smiled and went back to his drinks and began chatting with the young man, a couple of years younger than Sam, he sat next to Dean a few moments after Katherine had went back to her seat, Dean and the young man made a small conversation, they then exchanged names. "I'm Jeremy Gilbert. What's your name?" The young man asked. "My name's Dean Winchester." Dean replied. They began talking about Dean's impala until Jeremy gave Matt some spare clothes he asked for. Then Jeremy went over to Katherine's table with the man he was talking to.

Katherine was talking to Stefan, Damon and Caroline about the earlier news on TV, they were discussing if it could have been Silas. Before Jeremy came along with Dean.

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_**Hey guys, I'm sorry if this chapter was boring, I needed to get some of this out of the way, and I realize I wasn't as descriptive at the end that I would prefer to be, but I'm really trying to make this a good story. Sam will be mentioned more (He will even appear later on in the chapters ;D), and I will work harder tomorrow! Xoxo - UH (Unorthodox Hero).  
**_


	3. The Invitation

Jeremy thought that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to invite Dean to sit with them. Judging by the look on Damon's face, he was not happy one bit. But for some reason, Katherine didn't care.

After Jeremy and Dean were walking back to the table, the tension in the air multiplied. Mostly because of Damon's hostile glare at Dean and his threatening greeting.

"And, who are you?" Damon barked.

Dean replied with a calm, amused tone. "Dean Winchester. Nice to meet you." He said before he had taken a seat next to Katherine and Jeremy. She could tell in an instant, Caroline was scoping him out and Katherine didn't blame her. He was attractive.

Katherine placed her hand on Damon's thigh, trying to calm his nerves but that wasn't helping much. She could practically feel the waves of jealousy wafting off of him but he'd never admit it. He was too much into his pride.

Caroline, clearly seeing the tension between us, stepped in and took the reins. "So, Dean, where'd you move here from?" She asked, clasping her hands under her chin.

Dean looked over at her and smiled. "Oh, I'm just passing through. My car broke down on the highway and I managed to get here. My brother will be coming to get me soon." He said, looking like he remembered something. He reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone and a look of disappointment crossed his face.

Jere stared at him in shock. "You walked all the way here? You're lucky you got here on time. A huge storm is coming in. Supposed to block out any cell service for a while." He said, his mouth full of his burger.

"Jeremy. Chew with your mouth closed." Katherine scolded him, rolling her eyes at his manners.

Dean laughed, nodding. "Yeah, I guess I am pretty lucky. Though that's probably why he hasn't got a hold of me. The connection is pretty bad." He said, taking a bite of his fry.

"So, you decided to crash our party?" Damon asked suddenly, his voice filled with his typical cocky attitude.

Dean leaned around Katherine to see Damon, a smirk on his lips. "Nah. Little Gilbert here invited me." He said, his eyes then meeting Katherine's, clearly amused.

She returned a small smile before Jeremy was looking at Damon. "I didn't want him to sit alone at the bar. Matt is too busy to be good company. And he seems like a nice guy, he knows a lot about cars too." Jeremy defended himself before Damon snapped at him too, Katherine leaned into Damon a little bit to maybe calm him down or at least show that what Jeremy did wasn't as harmful as he thought. But that of course didn't work.

"Yeah, so, invite a stranger over to chat and eat fries with." He said, shaking his head. "I'm going to take a break." He said, ripping his hand out of Katherine's and stormed off.

"I can go after him..." Stefan offered, looking at Katherine with a worried frown.

She shook her head, smiling softly at him. "No, he'll cool off. It's not like he can throw a tantrum for too long." She looked over at Dean with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. He's... Hard headed."

Dean nodded, smiling. "Don't sweat it, Sweetheart, I don't do the teenage relationship drama." He said chuckling.

Caroline pursed her lips, watching him. "So, what do you do for work, Dean?" She asked, all of a sudden seeming extremely interested in him. Not like the old Caroline would, the one that would stare at a boy like she wanted to make out with him, but with a curious look, like she was trying to figure something out.

"Family business." He answered quickly. "My little brother and I took over for our dad when he passed."

Something in Katherine's stomach clenched, something that always happened when she thought about her parents or Bonnie. He had lost someone close to him too. And it seemed like it wasn't just a normal passing from natural causes based on the haunted look in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry to hear that... That must have been hard. How old is your brother?" Caroline asked.

"Sam is twenty-two."

"And how old are you?" Katherine asked, curious. If his brother is twenty-two, and that's his little brother, he was older than twenty three and that was shocking. He didn't look a day over twenty-four. Come to think of it, neither did Damon but he was twenty-six. At least in human years he was.

Dean chuckled. "I'm twenty-five. A little too old for you, Sweetheart?" He asked, winking at Katherine.

She felt the blood rush to her cheeks and neck and she shook her head. "You just didn't seem that old." She could tell that she got him by that.

He laughed, shaking his head at her. "I'm wounded. You really think I'm that old?" He teased, putting his hand over his heart like she had hurt him.

Caroline shrugged. "I thought so too. But the scars are kind of off setting." She nodded to his forearm. For the first time, Katherine actually noticed them.

They were faint, but that's probably how Caroline saw them. Her vampire senses were high so she could pick up the faintest marks. All over his arms were white lines, the size of a pen marking, in different varying lengths. Some were larger than others that showed more but the way they were there, a few on his neck, his jaw, what looked like scarred tissue on his forehead under his hair line, made it seem like he had been cut over and over again.

"What exactly is your... Family business?" Katherine asked quietly, looking at the lines on his jaw.

Dean chuckled, looking at them himself. "I can fix cars. These were all from the sheet metal. It's pretty sharp before you weld it." He explained, shrugging. "They're so old that some may not even be from that."

Carefully, Katherine reached out and traced one along his bicep, the skin rose from where the scar was. His skin was hot, not in a gross sweaty hot way, but a warm one. Like an inviting blanket next to the fireplace. She saw him take a quick inhale of breath and he turned to look at Katherine, his eyes curious. She quickly pulled her hand away, looking over at Caroline who had a large smile on her face.

Jeremy shook his head, obviously amused by their little moment and looked at Dean. "So, you fix cars... What kind do you fix up?" He asked, and Katherine was grateful for the distraction. Dean turned away from Katherine to address her little brother.

"Usually classics. My car that I have parked off the highway is a 1967 Chevy Impala. I fixed her up myself, with a little help from Sam." He said, smirking.

Jeremy gaped at him. "You found one of those? I haven't seen one in years. They're the classic babe magnets." He said in an awe, and Katherine shook her head.

"Oh, yeah Jer. Because you need babes." She said smiling as she rolled her eyes at him.

He shrugged. "Well, there's no one here... Or at least not yet. Tell you what, I'll take you down to get your car tomorrow morning if you let me take it for a test run." He offered, his elbows on the table, a smirk on his face.

Dean turned to Katherine. "Is he a good driver?"

She nodded "Yeah, he's pretty good. I taught him a lot of what he knows." She said, not mentioning the time Jeremy backed into a building while she was teaching him. She guessed she had forgotten to specify that you need to put the car into drive again before you press the gas.

"Alright, I'll take your word for it. Sure kid, I'll let you drive her. But no wrecking my car. I usually don't let anyone drive her. Not even my brother. So you're lucky."

Jeremy was about to speak after taking a bite but seen the warning look Katherine gave him. He quickly swallowed. "Well, what's different this time?" He asked.

Dean thought for a moment, his mind seeming distant, before smiling. "Because of your lovely sister."

After Dean's little comment, Katherine blushed and excused herself from the table, she went to the bathroom to check her hair and makeup and to take a breather. Apart from Damon, everyone seemed to take a liking to Dean. Jeremy had become his new bestfriend the moment Dean mentioned cars and Stefan liked the fact he worked on classics. Caroline of course liked everything about him the moment she saw the way he looked at Katherine... Well, that was a different story.

He was nice and obviously very attractive, but a part of Katherine said not to get involved. It didn't help that Damon stormed off and hasn't been back since. Dean would drop subtle hints and not so vague compliments and Katherine could tell by the look on Caroline's face, she was impressed.

Something about him drew Katherine in, and it was unnerving. She just wishes Damon would come back. To talk things through. Though knowing him, he was probably somewhere drinking. Or possibly drinking from someone. She shivered at the thought of it.

After Damon and Katherine started their relationship, it was serious enough that she asked him to stop feeding off humans. It was a huge step because he had gotten so used the the hunger and being able to quench it with a quick feed from an innocent girl on the street. She wasn't having it though. She hated that he hurt humans, even though he'd compel them to forget, she knew what it was like for Caroline and she didn't want that for any other girls. So, when she brought it up to him, it was hard but he agreed that he'd try. He had been good. But she'd not sure if he'd break his promise to try and feed.

Not wanting to think about that, she washed her hands, taking a deep breath.

She looked up as the bathroom door opened.

"Oh my God, he is gorgeous!" Caroline exclaimed, a huge smile on her lips.

Katherine smiled, nodding. "Yeah, he is pretty handsome." She said, trying not to appear too interested.

Caroline shook her head. "No, he is not just 'handsome', he is hot. You probably didn't notice, but his eyes are the prettiest green ever. And his body. I'm sure he's sculpted under that jacket of his. How about you try and find out."

Katherine turned with a shocked face. "Care! No! I'm with Damon now. That's not going to happen. And I think that Damon has pretty eyes." She said, wiping her hands on a paper towel, trying to focus on Damon.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Oh whatever. You know that you're attracted to him. You should get to know Mr. Dean Winchester. I bet his brother is hot too." She smirked, wiggling her eyebrows.

Sighing, Katherine shook her head. "Care, he's just passing through. He'll be gone within the week and then he'll be out of our lives." With this, she almost looked disappointed.

"He's interested in you. He thinks you're hot." She giggled. "Can't blame him. Most of these guys in town have the hots for you."

Katherine shook her head, pushing passed her. "Yeah, well, I'm only interested in one person. And he's not even here right now." Katherine said quietly, looking at her phone to see if he had texted her. Nothing. He main screen stared back at her. It was a picture of Damon and Katherine at one of the Founder's Balls. It was months ago but it was one of her favorites.

Caroline nodded. "Exactly. He's not here. Meaning he decided he didn't want to be here and left you with Dean and us. So, have a little fun. Talk to him. Doesn't mean you have to sleep with him." She mumbled. "If I wasn't interested in someone else, then I'd go for him." Caroline added.

Katherine glanced at her. "Interested in someone? I thought you were with Tyler." Katherine asked.

She seen Caroline clench her jaw, avoiding eye contact. "Yeah, Tyler. That's what I meant." She said quickly.

Katherine was about to ask her what was up when Jeremy walked up to her, getting her attention. "Hey, Kat. Can I ask you a favor?" He asked, glancing at Caroline who stood there to listen what the favor was.

"What's up, Jer?" Katherine asked, smiling over at him.

Over the last year, her brother had grown a lot. Not just physically but mentally. He matured more than se could have imagined in the short period of time and he was planning on majoring in art at the college next year. He had also grown a few inches, finally being taller than her by at least four inches. That was something he was happy about because she couldn't tease him about his height because now, he's able to fight back.

"So, Dean and I were talking... And he doesn't have a place to stay tonight. He said Matt mentioned the motel behind City Hall but that place isn't a friendly enviroment. That's where all of us used to go after school to get high and drink." He admitted, his voice laced with something close to shame.

Katherine nodded. "Okay, so what are you talking about?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips along with Caroline joining her. It was true, the motel wasn't the best place to stay. For such a clean respected town, that area was teen central.

Jeremy sighed. "Well, I thought maybe he could stay with us for a while. I can make up the spare bedroom next to you room. I just don't want him to have to deal with Callum's group at the motel."

Katherine stared at her brother for a moment, a little shocked. Even though Jeremy had matured, she never thought he'd be the one to invite a stranger into the house.

"Uh, Jeremy... We don't really know him that well..." She said, biting her lip as she thought.

Jeremy nodded. "I know, but my room is right across from his, I'll watch his every movement. If he does something I don't agree with, he's out. And his brother Sam should be here in town within a week."

Katherine sighed, as Caroline agreed with Jeremy. Katherine looked over at their table where Dean was talking with Stefan, a wide smile on his face. He seemed normal. Sweet. And he didn't seem like the type to become a mass murderer over night.

"Is he a vampire?" Katherine asked, looking at Jeremy and Caroline.

He shook his head. "No. I would have noticed. That's what's nice about having the mark and being a hunter now. I can sense them within a mile. He's clean." He said, chuckling. "You think I'd let a strange vamp into the house with my sister? I don't think so."

She smiled at him and nodded. "Okay. We can ask. But if he does something wrong of Stefan mentions something, he's out, Jeremy." She warned. Her voice firm.

Jeremy nodded. "Alright. Thank you. I'll have the room ready by tonight."

Absent-mindedly, she nodded, watching Dean from across the room.

'_What would Damon think?_'

She shook her head, not wanting to think about that right now. She and Caroline walked back to the table, smiling as she sat down next to Dean. "How are you boys getting along?" She asked, grabbing one of Stefan's half eaten chicken strips and took a bite, smiling at him as she did.

Stefan shook his head at her, amused before responding. "We were just talking about the 1963 Porsche 356 Kerman Coupe in the garage." He said, reminder her of all the memories with that car. It was one of her favorites.

"Ah, yes. My baby." She said, laughing. "When you die, it'll be mine." She teased, which made Stefan bust up laughing.

Dean smiled. "I'll have to come and see it. It sounds like a beauty."

Stefan nodded. "Of course. That would be cool."

Before Dean could respond to Stefan, Katherine interrupted them. "Hey, so I have a question for you." She said to Dean, pursing her lips.

Dean smiled down at her. "And what would that be?" He asked, scoping her out.

She sighed, glancing at Stefan. "So, Jeremy brought it to my attention that you don't have a place to stay and I was going to offer you a room in my house until your brother comes into town." She said, quickly seeing his jaw slacken.

"I don't know.. I don't want to intrude. I'm more than willing to stay at the mo-"

Katherine cut him off, quickly with her hand.

"No, I insist. The motel isn't a good place to stay at night. So please, I have a spare room that you can use, just so you're not listening too druggy kids banging around all night." She said, in a way hoping he'd say yes so she could get this out of the way. But at the same time, she wished he'd decline so she wouldn't have to face the wrath of Damon when he finds out she invited Dean to stay in her house, just two doors down from her own bedroom.

Dean looked like he was considering it for a moment before nodding. "That would be nice. Thank you." He said, nodding in thanks to Katherine.

She returned the smile before downing a shot, meeting Stefan's shocked gaze. He was probably as in shock as she was right now. She actually invited him to stay with her and Jeremy. Alone for as long as it takes for his brother Sam to come get him. She had to be crazy.

After socializing for a while, Jeremy looked exhausted so Katherine decided it was time to head home. "Stefan, if you see Damon, can you tell him nothing about Dean staying with me? I want to tell him in person." She asked as Dean was getting his bag from the table while she stood by the door with Stefan and Jeremy. Caroline was with Tyler.

Stefan nodded, his eyebrows furrowed. "I can try. But you know Damon. He won't take no for an answer." That was true. He'd never take no. Especially when it came to Katherine.

She nodded. "Alright. Thank you for coming. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" She leaned forward and hugged him, the embrace feeling familiar and calming. She could see Caroline across the room winking at her and she rolled her eyes, pulling away from the hug. She headed outside to start the car, knowing that it was pretty chilly out so the heat in the car would be a nice touch. She turned the heat on high and sighed, feeling warm air hit her face. As she went to get into the car, a voice sounded familiar from behind her.

"So, when were you going to tell me that he was staying with you tonight?"


	4. The First Night

"So, when were you going to tell me that he's staying with you tonight?"

Katherine turned to the sound of Damon's angry voice behind her, her stomach clenching.

"How long have you been spying?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest. She knew that this was going to happen.

'_I don't even know why I thought he'd be okay and happy about the situation. Part of me wished the he would be, but that's just a fantasy._'

"Long enough to see you invite him to stay with you tonight." He said, his crystal blue eyes glaring into hers. His posture was stiff, his jaw clenched. Typical angry Damon.

Sighing, she shook her head. "It's nothing important, Damon. He has nowhere to go for the night and I was being hospitable. Because that's the kind of person I am, okay?"

Damon scoffed at her, staring at her incredulously. "Hospitable? He could have easily stayed at the motel. That's where he was going to stay to begin with. I don't know how you could have invited him into your home. Someone you don't even know!" He stressed, shaking his head. "I can't believe you."

Katherine gaped at him. "You have no right to tell me who I can and can't hang out with or invite into **my** home, Damon. Jeremy will be there wi-" He cut her off with a sharp humorless laugh.

"Oh, like that boy can protect you if this guy tries anything on you. Jeremy can barely defend himself. Remember the Silas incident? Yeah, you'll both be dead before morning!" Damon said carelessly, not realizing what he had said to her. Making her remember when Jeremy died, the pain she felt, how she wanted to just die. "Katherine.. I didn't mean it like-" Damon began to speak as he seen the fear overflow her face, and she cut him off. "For what. Speaking your mind without caring about other people's feelings?" She said, her voice thin and bitter, she waited for a response and she didn't get one, all she got was a shocked expression upon Damon's face. "Yeah.. That's what I thought." She then seen Jeremy and Dean on their way out of the grill, laughing about something.

She turned to Damon and sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, okay? I love you." She said, leaning up on her tiptoes to press her lips onto his.

Damon reached down and grabbed her hips, yanking her closer to his body. This was something he usually didn't do in public. He kissed her like he did when they were alone, the kind she had recently gotten used to. She barely heard the door to the grill open when Damon pulled away. "We'll talk about this later." He said before he was gone.

"Hey Kat, you ready to go?" Jeremy asked, climbing into the back seat.

She looked over, catching Dean's eyes that were locked on hers. "Everything okay?" He asked, his voice sounded worried.

Nodding, she put on a small smile on her lips and straightened her shirt that Damon had lifted. "Yeah, I'm good. Maybe a little tired." She covered, getting into the car, grateful that she turned up the heat. Her body was still warm from Damon's kiss but the heat from the car helped with her shaky hands.

The drive back tot he house was quiet. She could tell both of them were exhausted by the way their heads dropped, like they were falling asleep. Gaped at the clock, she couldn't blame them. It was a little passed midnight and they both had a long day. Jeremy had been training with Tyler, practicing his fighting skills. Since he still had his mark, it made him strong so he needed to learn how to control that power. He had been complaining about his sore muscles and there was only so much she could do other than make him tea and as comfortable as possible. And Dean had said that he walked all the way to town, which is a pretty long walk from the main highway. So he was probably just as tired. She's sure all he wanted was a nice warm soft bed. She pulled into the driveway and shut off the car.

"Alright. We're finally here." She said, pulling them from their doze. Jeremy quickly got out and ran upstairs once they walked into the house, probably to go make up the spare bedroom.

Dean looked around the house, a small smile on his lips. "This is cute. Your parents house?" He asked, looking at pictures on the mantle.

"Uh, yeah. It was my parents. When they died, it went to our aunt Jenna. And when she passed, it went to me." She said, pouring a glass of water.

Dean looked over at Katherine in shock. "I'm sorry..." He said softly, sympathy clearly in his eyes.

Katherine shrugged. "It was a long time ago... I've gotten used to it by now." She said, looking at the picture he was holding. It was of Jeremy, Katherine and their parents at the beach the summer before the car accident. That was one of her favorites because they were all so happy. They never thought that something like that would ever happen to their family. And then the accident happened and nothing had ever been the same.

Jeremy came down the stairs then, rubbing his eyes. "Alright, the spare room is all set up and ready for you." He informed Dean, walking over to Katherine. "I'm exhausted, so I'm going to go to sleep. Love you." He said, hugging her goodnight. He nodded at Dean as he passed, going upstairs to his room.

She smiled over at Dean. "Well, I'm sure you're tired, so I'll show you where the room is." Katherine said, grabbing her water and phone, having him follow her upstairs. She passed her room and pushed open the door on the right. "It connects to my room, so if you need anything, you can go through there. I'm going to head to bed but feel free to take a shower and the kitchen is packed full, I went shopping yesterday." She sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "I think that's it. Do you need anything else?" She asked him.

Dean shook his head, putting his bag onto the bed, looking over at her. "Thank you, Katherine. I really appreciate it." He said, his voice sincere.

She smiled, about to say something when she yawned.

Dean chuckled. "Go to bed. I'll see you in the morning." He said, before yawning himself.

She laughed and nodded. "Goodnight Dean."

She shut the door on her way out and headed to her room, shutting and locking it behind herself. Not because she felt unsafe but in a way, it was calming. She liked to know that she had protection when Jeremy was asleep. He'd probably be out like a log tonight, so it would be hard to wake him up. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to Damon.

"I'm not dead yet. I'll see you in the morning."

She pressed send and walked over to the closet, changing out of her dark clothes and slid on her favorite pair of boxers. They had Spongebob all over them. Jeremy had gotten them for her twelfth birthday because she had been complaining that she wanted boxers. There were her normal sleepwear whenever Damon wasn't spending the night because they were a little embarrassing. But right now, she couldn't care less.

Her phone chirped from the bedside table and she sighed, throwing on a tank and ran to the phone, opening the message from Damon.

"I'm still mad at you." He wrote.

She smiled, rolling her eyes at how he could still sound mad and cocky through a text message.

"I love you too, Damon."

The sound of the shower being turned on was a calming sound, one that made her feel like sleeping. She laid on her side, staring at the door to the bathroom, listening to the sound of the water hit the bottom of the tub, and a faint hum, which made her smile.

It may be okay after all. He seemed to be okay staying here and he hadn't showed any signs of being weird, which was extremely important. She sighed, closing her eyes as she waited for the sound of water to pull her to sleep and after a while it worked. She fell under consciousness, thinking about Dean and his scars.

* * *

_**Sorry about this chapter being extremely shorter than the others. I've been busy lately with school starting, but I shall keep writing.  
**__**'Til the end! Xoxoxo UH. (Unorthodox Hero)~**_


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